How did reform of power influence IT?

Purpose of reforms

The purpose of reforms – - creation of cost-efficient structures. In the Russian power market mechanisms form. If power transport companies as natural monopolies, remain under control of the state, then the generating, sales and other companies are privatized that attracts gain of the competition in the industry.

Similar changes require creation of an effective management system for the enterprises of power for increase in controllability, financial transparency and gain of their investment attractiveness.

As rates for energy are subject to state regulation and a possibility of justification of their increase are rather limited, for achievement of the best result the power companies in similar conditions should create the effective system of financial planning, operational management and the analysis, to look for new sources of receipts and to reduce costs. In a similar situation the value and efficiency of automation sharply increases in the power industry.

Structure of the industry after reform

Engineering and project complex

As a result of reform of power of the country (reforming of the organizations of a scientific and project complex of JSC RAO UES of Russia) all engineering (design and survey, research and setup) the electric power generation business which is in state-owned property of the Russian Federation (federal property) was transformed on territorial sign in a row of the large specialized companies:

• JSC Engineering Center UES (JSC Engineering Center UES), Moscow;
• JSC Engineering Center of Power Industry of the Volga Region, Samara;
• JSC Engineering Center of Power Industry of the Urals, Yekaterinburg;
• JSC STC of Power Industry, Moscow;
• JSC Northwest Power Engineering Center (JSC Sevzap NTTs), St. Petersburg;
• JSC Siberian Power Scientific and Technological Center (JSC Sibirsky ENTTs), Novosibirsk;
• JSC Southern Engineering Center of Power (JSC Southern Centre of Power Engineering), Krasnodar.

JSC FGC UES

Network company, operator of the single national power supply network of Russia. RAO UES of Russia subsidiary company which owns 87.56% of stocks of FGC UES now other actions — 12.44% belong to the Russian Federation on behalf of FAUFI[10]. As a result of reform increase in a share of the Russian Federation up to 75% + 1 action is planned.

Hydrogeneration

"The federal hydrogeneration company" integrates a key part of hydropower of the country. After completion of reform the controlling stake is going to be saved in federal property.

Thermal OGK

The wholesale power generating companies (OGK) created in 2004 — 2006 include the largest thermal state district power plants of the country. For the purpose of minimization of a possibility of exclusive abuses, each OGK integrates the stations which are in different regions of the country. Thermal OGK are subject to privatization during reform.

• OGK-4
• OGK-6
• OGK-2
• OGK-1
• OGK-3

System operator

JSC SO UES (System Operator) renders services in supervisory control in power industry.

Territorial generating companies

The territorial generating companies integrate power plants of several neighboring regions (except for the power plants of federal importance which entered into OGK). Generally it is the combined heat and power plants focused on development not only electricity but also it is warm. The companies will sell the electric power and also to supply with heat of consumers of the regions. TGC are subject to privatization during reform.

Trading System Administrator

The Trading System Administrator non-profit partnership (now — Market Council) will organize biddings and calculations in wholesale market of the electric power.

Inter RAO UES

JSC Inter RAO UES (60% — RAO UES, 40% — JSC Rosenergoatom Concern) is an export operator of RAO UES.

New tasks after reforms

Prior to reforms at the enterprises of power explicit insufficient funding from the state was felt, at the same time they could not increase rates for own services independently. Owing to these and some other factors budgets on information technology development were extremely small. At best, "scrappy" automation and about any complex approach the speech was not was carried out.

Updating of ERP

Reforms served as the catalyst for many projects in the field of information technologies including on implementation of ERP systems. Reforming of the industry entailed change and business process optimization that, in fact, is the first (and often the most difficult) a stage of creation of an end-to-end automated system. Therefore implementation of the ERP system takes place in a similar situation quicker and more effectively. Let's stop on the main industry features which need to be considered during creation of information systems.

Monitoring of the power companies

In spite of the fact that during reform of RAO UES of Russia were separated into the separate independent power companies, the power supply system of Russia remains interconnected. Also condition monitoring of the power enterprises which at the moment includes more than 400  information flows is still necessary.

Therefore the information systems implemented at the enterprises of the industry should include blocks of preparation, collecting and processing of the industry reporting, normative reference information and technical documentation, control of execution of requirements of management and/or controlling organizations, etc.

Expensive fixed assets

The generating and network power transport companies have expensive and at the same time intensively operated fixed assets which cost of idle time is also very high. At the same time the majority of power assets were put into operation in 60-70, are worn-out, morally became outdated and require huge investments.

Therefore management tools maintenance and repairs (MRO) are extremely important. And the similar block shall be present at the ERP system, or implementation of a separate EAM system which would exercise control of a MRO is necessary.

Territorial Distribution

On the scales the companies created during power reform often exceed former regional – new educations quite often integrate the profile enterprises of several neighboring regions or in general are all-Russian. Therefore there are problems of integration of information systems of different territorial structures, consolidations of accounting information and the reporting, access isolation of users to the general databases, etc.

Work without warehouse

One more industry feature – impossibility of warehousing of the made products (heat and electro-power) at continuous process of production. In this connection the huge value purchases operating control behind production and the organization of continuous sales process that is also impossible without information system.

Electricity metering

One of important tasks for the enterprises of power industry, especially for the network companies, - accounting to the received and released power consumers, and also localization and decrease in losses of energy (they are 2 types: commercial – illegal connections and technical – in transformers and wires). Are intended for the solution of similar tasks automated information and measuring an electric power fiscal metering system (AIIS KUE).

Sale of energy

Reform of RAO UES assumes not only structural reorganization during which the independent sales companies, but also liberalization of wholesale and retail market of the electric power were selected. Also it is necessary that the created companies could work effectively in new market conditions for what it is necessary to implement SCM-and CRM systems which will allow to optimize work with suppliers and consumers, respectively.